Chapter Seven: I See You
Dean:
Dean slumped on the couch, groggily watching the colors dance across the TV, not that he was actually watching anything, just staring off into space thinking. He had tried to call Cas several times, but no answer. Finally Cas texted him,
Angel: Dean I can't talk right now, I am working. . . I'll try and call you tonight but I don't know if I'm ready.
Dean had frowned at the phone and sat it down, far away from him so as to resist the temptation to pick it up and call Cas again. It had been a week since the attack. The cops caught Alistair and took him to jail where he was awaiting trial. Dean knew he needed to tell Cas sooner rather than later, but at this point, the confession might just enact sympathy from Cas that Dean wasn't sure he wanted. Dean didn't want the attack to be a reason for them to stay together, not if they weren't any good together. The thought made his stomach hurt and his mouth dry. He took a swig of the cold beer in his hand. There was a knock on the door and he called for Cole to come in.
Cole had in his hands a stack of paperwork so that Dean and he could look over the bills for Cas's studio, and a to-go bag.
"Brought you a cheeseburger and fries." Cole said, smiling and dropping the food on the table. In the week since the attack Dean had called into both jobs, taking temporary leave. As soon as he explained to his boss at the Juvenile detention center what had happened, he said he understood and to come back whenever he was ready. Dean had thanked him profusely and sat around trying to put himself back together for a week. His attempts seemed futile, with everything falling apart in his relationship, it was all Dean could do to brush his teeth everyday and sometimes put on clothes besides the briefs and old tee he wore to bed.
Cole had come over almost everyday, forced Dean to drink something besides beer, and made sure he ate some sort of food, and then looked at him worriedly.
"How're you feelin'?" Cole asked, slyly replacing the beer in Dean's hand with water.
"I'm not dead, I can see that's water, Cole." Dean glared.
"Well you're going to drink up all your beer, and I don't feel like a beer run. One water won't hurt." Cole spat back, not actually mad. "Now answer me. How do you feel?" Dean grimaced and took a sip of the water.
"The ribs are still giving me a shit ton of pain, but the cuts are healing up nicely. And uh . . . everything else is okay I guess."
"How long did they say till you're healed?" Cole asked, stealing a fry from him as Dean unwrapped the burger.
"Doc said six weeks total, so I guess five weeks now. Good thing they were just fractured."
"How long till you can dance?" Dean looked at Cole with a squint.
"Why? Trying to get me back in the studio? I'm just not sure-,"
"No not the studio, me and some buddies are going out two steppin' tonight, and I figured it'd be good for you to get out." Dean chewed his burger quietly.
"I don't know . . ."
"Dean, you've been cooped up here for a week, and you don't have to dance that much. Just get out, that's the whole point." Dean was quiet and Cole sighed. "I'll buy all your beer and drive you home."
" . . . Fine." Dean answered. Cole rolled his eyes.
"Knew that'd do the trick. Let's get this paperwork done, and then get you dressed in actual pants." Dean looked down at his bare legs, the blanket was pulled over his lap so he wasn't that indecent.
"Pants?" Dean asked.
"Yes, Dean, pants." Dean sighed dramatically.
"You're lucky you offered beer." Cole chuckled and shook his head and spread out the paperwork.
"You uh . . .talk to Cas?" Cole had known that Dean didn't actually end up telling Cas what had happened, Cole had to know because Dean swore him to secrecy. No one but Cole knew, not even Sammy. If Dean told Sammy nothing short of hellfire would stop Sammy from telling Cas. Dean sat down his burger after only a few bites.
"I didn't. He said he'd call me later . . .but I doubt it." Dean looked at the paperwork, trying to avoid looking at Cole.
"I don't like this man. You've gotta tell him what's going on . . ."
"I can't do that if he won't talk to me, now can I?" Dean asked, gruffly.
"Well I'm sure if-,"
"Cole, let's just work on this and get goin'. I don't want to talk about it." Cole grumbled something under his breath and they got to work.
Castiel:
Another competition night came and went, Castiel got fitted up in his outfit for the week's piece. He was dancing with a different person, a girl named Hael. They were doing a Nappytabs routine to a song Castiel had never heard of before and didn't particularly care for. All week he'd been in a funk, thinking about Dean, about the harsh words spoken quickly over the phone. Castiel sighed into the mirror, wishing he could see his husband . . . they were still husbands, he thought. Just . . . a break. A break was needed. He had told Meg that night, in his motel room, trying hard not to cry into her arms.
"Why would you suggest a break if it's the last thing you want?" Castiel had sniffled a little bit.
"Because maybe it's what we need . . ."
"I think what you need is to go home, unicorn. You belong there with him, long distance is such a strain on any relationship, but you have to look at what's more important-,"
"Meg I signed a contract to stay on until the end of the season, I have to. I don't have a choice. What am I supposed to say? Sorry, I have to go home and make up with my husband? That's not going to fly." Meg rubbed his back soothingly.
"I know, unicorn, I know . . . I just wish it would. Maybe you could lie, say Dean had some sort of medical emergency." Castiel stiffened up.
"Meg that's not even funny to say . . . oh god I don't even want to think about it . . ." Castiel felt like he would be sick. He couldn't imagine Dean hurting and without him. If that were the case, Castiel would take the first flight home no matter what it cost him. Hell, he'd run there if he had to.
"Sorry." Meg mumbled, continuing rubbing his back. "How about we just stay up and watch some weird movie?"
"Fine, but I'm picking this time, last time we ended up at the movies watching Jupiter Ascending and that movie was pure awful." Castiel groaned. Meg laughed.
"I liked it-,"
"The only reason you liked it was because I hated it!"
"That is not true. Channing Tatum-,"
"Was used as a total sex symbol and nothing else!" Cas argued, wrestling her for the remote.
"A sexy sex symbol!"
"A sex symbol nonetheless! And the plot holes-,"
"Okay okay I get it!" She giggled as he tickled her playfully. "No more Jupiter."
"Never again!" He yelled in triumph as he wrestled the remote from her. "I say we stay in and watch . . ." Castiel scrolled through the list on the television. "The Fellowship of the Ring?"
"Ugh. Again?" Meg whined, Castiel looked at her seriously.
"Once cannot watch Lord of the Rings too many times, lady!"
"But we seriously watched it last month-,"
"Don't be such a Balrog." Castiel told her. Meg raised an eyebrow at him.
"Did you just . . . did you just compare me to a fiery devil monster?"
"That I did, demon! Now fetch the sustenance so that we may feast in delight as companion to this great film!" Meg swatted him with a pillow.
"Stop talking like a dork, it's bad enough that you look like one!" Castiel stuck his tongue out at her and they watched the film together.
Cas fidgeted in his costume, feeling uncomfortable and out of his own skin. He knew it was ridiculous but he was dancing in Dean's genre, and at a time where they were fighting every movement reminded him of Dean. Every step he took, Dean echoed through his muscles. He remembered the pizza man routine from last season, and when he was dancing he was remembering the long hours spent practicing with Dean. The routine wasn't his best, the judges made sure to note that his head "just wasn't in the game" and Castiel couldn't argue. Luckily for him this didn't reflect too poorly on his partner, and he still managed make her look good, which is really all he was there for, for other people. After the show was over Castiel sat backstage for a long time, turning his phone over and over in his hand. His thumb hovered over Dean's name, and Meg came up.
"Hey Unicorn you want to go grab something to eat, or are you just going to sit back here and sulk all night?" Castiel looked up at her and turned the screen off on his phone, sliding it into his pocket.
"Yeah, let's go."
Dean:
As soon as they stepped outside Dean regretted leaving the house. Part of him wanted to turn and run, but Cole seemed to sense this and gave him a look that said If you turn around now so help me I will drag you out of there so Dean decided it'd just be easiest to go along with it. They got in the car and Cole instantly put on some ACDC, as if knowing this would relax Dean. Dean tried not to think about how this was the car he was in that night. How he had felt like he was just shattered pieces in the passenger seat as Cole had driven them through the blackness. He took a deep breath and rolled the window down. When they finally got there Dean practically ran to the bar and ordered two beers, Cole had the bartender open up a tab for him and took the beer Dean handed him. The music was obnoxiously loud. Dean surveyed the room. There were multiple bars set up in every corner, and another in the middle of the dance floor, the dancers spun in a tight pack around it to the sound of country songs, the lights were spinning and changing color and it was all almost too much for Dean.
He found a seat at the bar and drank quietly while Cole said hi to his friends. He introduced them to Dean but the music was too loud for Dean to hear any of their names, so he just smiled politely. He noticed several women and even a few men sizing him up, taking in the scruffy face and the green eyes that were bloodshot with trauma. As soon as they reached the eyes, most of them backed off. Something about healing cuts and red eyes said leave me alone and so they did. After a few beers, Dean couldn't help but remember when he and Cas had come out here, back when they had first started dating, after they had gotten home from the competition.
The night had started simple. Dean had it in his mind that he was going to take his new boyfriend out country dancing, knowing Cas was really more of a stay at home type guy, this would take just a little bit of convincing on Dean's part. He stopped at the store on the way home from work and picked up food to make dinner and some flowers. Dean laughed at himself, buying roses. It was cheesy, it was weird. Dean didn't typically buy flowers for anyone. But Cas liked Yellow roses, with just a hint of orange at the tips. Dean rolled his eyes that he had even remembered such a fact, he never had before. But Cas was different. When Cas walked in the door, it was to the smell of steaks grilling out back, sauteed potatoes, green beans just the way he liked them, and a handful of yellow roses. As Dean handed them to Cas, he tried his hardest not to blush.
"Thank you Dean!" Cas exclaimed, grinning wildly. "Yellow roses are-,"
"Your favorite, I know. They look like a sunset painted on each petal." Dean answered. Now it was Cas's turn to blush.
"You really listen to everything I say, don't you?" Cas asked. Dean pulled him forward by the belt oops on his jeans.
"Most things." He smirked before kissing his boyfriend.
"Aren't you going to dance at all?" Cole asked him over the music. Dean looked around at the options. There was Cole himself, but that would feel wrong. He supposed he could dance with one of the many women checking him out, but he shrugged forlornly,
"Uhh . . . I don't see . . . "
"You don't see Cas?" Cole asked, frowning a little.
"No I don't." Dean answered, taking another sip of his beer. It was a lie. He saw Cas everywhere. As if the DJ could hear them, the song I See You by Luke Bryan came on.
"Oh C'mon man, I love this song. Dance with me, just one dance, we'll go slow!" Dean gave him an odd look.
"I'm married, bro, and straight. I'm just comfortable enough to dance with my guy friends. Plus, I'm a dancer. I don't judge by the junk I judge by the talent. Let's go!" Cole grabbed onto Dean's hand and led him through the bar. They stood far apart, nothing like when he and Cas had swayed together.
Dean had to try really hard to keep his cool at the fact Cas agreed to go out dancing with him so easily. They hadn't been since the competition, and Dean was excited to dance with Cas again, like he always was when he got to dance with his boyfriend. As soon as they walked in he pulled Cas out to the dance floor and spun him a few times before settling into an easy rhythm. Cas had looked mournfully at the bar but laughed with is head thrown back when Dean grinned a goofy grin at him as they spun around the floor, pressing their bodies together.
Luke Bryan cut through Dean's concentration as Cole spun him slowly, watching out for his left side with his hurt ribs. Cole was smiling and Dean smiled uneasily at him as they fell back into rhythm, avoiding people on the floor as best they could. It wasn't Cole's fault Dean's mind was hundreds of miles away.
Cas's blue eyes had twinkled up at him as he threw in complicated spins Cas had never done before. But that's what Dean loved about dancing with Cas, Cas was good at improvisation. He went along with the spins as if he'd been doing them all his life, and when Dean lifted him up and flipped him even though Cas shook his head at Dean a smile stayed glued to his face.
"I told you no more flips Dean Winchester!"
"I can't help showing you off, babe!" Dean answered back with a wink, spinning Cas along with the chorus again.
Someone bumped into them, an elbow was thrown accidentally into Dean's left side and he stumbled into Cole, who caught him easily, glaring at the other couple and helping to lead Dean off the dance floor. Dean could've sworn he saw Cas's worried blue gaze somewhere. Maybe alcohol, pain killers, and spinning was a bad idea. There was no way it was Cas. Dean sat on a bar stool, his vision going a little fuzzy around the edges, trying to take deep breaths.
"I'm so sorry man, that was a bad idea-," Dean nodded and waved him off, attempting to block out the pain enough to talk. He ended up just staring off into space, finding Cas's eyes again. Dean could've sworn he was making his way over to the bar where Dean sat, and his eyes followed the gorgeous man, all attempts at catching his breath forgotten as Cas pressed a hand to his cheek.
"Are you okay, love?" Castiel asked him.
"Dean? Dean are you okay?" Cole asked him. Dean blinked and Cas was gone.
"Uhh . . .Uhuh." Dean wheezed, bent in half, trying not to feel his ribs anymore. "M'fine."
"We should probably leave." Cole said, apologizing to his friends and trying to get Dean to move. "Can you walk?" It was then that Dean's vision blurred again and he saw someone else. Alistair, he had that shit eating grin on his face, blood spattered on his chin from where Dean's fist had split his lip.
"Just . . .please . .. stop." Dean had wheezed, pain erupting from his ribs where Alistair had kicked him.
"Oh I have such plans for you, Winchester." Dean stood back up, the left side of his body felt like collapsing, but he stood back up, fists ready.
"Back the fuck off!" Alistair waved his gun boldly in the air.
"You're in no position to be talking, scum." Dean froze in horror again as Alistair punched him in the face, "And when I'm done with you, Dean, I'm going to go to your house and find that little angel of yours." He slurred into Dean's ear, his lips hot and slimy against Dean's skin "And I'm going to clip his wings." Dean rejoiced. He rejoiced in the fact that Cas was hundreds of miles away kissing other men instead of a few streets over. Still, anger rolled through him and he lashed out at Alistair again.
"You will never fucking touch him again you fucker-" Dean whispered, deadly, as Alistair got over the blow Dean had dealt him and smacked him across the head with the butt of the gun. Pain washed over his head, his vision got blurry again. A knife flashed out into the night.
"DEAN!" Cole's voice called him back. He was slumped in Cole's arms, his skin had broken out in a cold sweat. "Dean don't worry we're going to get you home . . . or maybe to a hospital . . . don't worry . . . just stay awake okay?"
"Not a hospital. I'm fine. Just drunk. Home is good." Dean slurred. He half walked and was half carried out of the bar by Cole.
Sorry for all the time jumps in this chapter, I know that can get confusing. Also, here's to Cole for the worst caregiver ever! Just a note for y'all, if you fracture ribs, do NOT go boot scootin'. I know it's hard to resist. But really, wait six weeks. Also sorry I had to rip on Jupiter Ascending. I hated that movie and I'm using every excuse I can find to tell people about how much I hated it.
